Page 1 of This Feeling

Declan

Five Years Ago

“Harper Browning?” I asked, as I looked from Harper to my brother, Sean.

“Yeah, what’s wrong with Harper?”

Looking at her again, I fought the urge to say absolutelynothingwas wrong with that woman. She was beautiful, with her dark brown hair and gray-blue eyes. She also had a killer smile.

I’d always thought Harper was a cute girl, and had even thought about asking her out once, but at the time, I figured she was too young, since I was four years older than her. Plus, I joined the Marines right out of high school, and each time I came home on leave, I never had the nerve to approach her. And it wouldn’t have been fair to have her here, back in Moose Village, waiting on me while I was gone for months at a time. I’d never ask her to leave her family, either.

“Nothing is wrong with her. She’s a nice girl.”

Sean smiled. “She came into spin class a few months ago, and we struck up a conversation.”

“She looks great,” I stated. “But then again, she’s always looked great.”

“Yeah, she’s always been a pretty girl, but now she has a smoking-hot body. Remember how chubby she was in high school? She was easy to overlook.”

I glared at my brother. “Just because she was overweightdoesn’tmean she didn’t have a nice body.”

He laughed. “Dude, she was like fifty pounds heavier. Now? Her body’shot. Look at her.”

I rolled my eyes and avoided looking at Harper again. She’d obviously worked her ass off, and her body was more athletic. There was no doubt about that.

“I’m going to do it. I’m gonna ask her out.”

A part of me wanted to talk him out of it, but I knew that was selfish of me. So I’d had a crush on Harper for as long as I could remember? It didn’t mean anything. If she saw me, she’d make friendly small talk, like always. Ask me about the Marines, how I liked being in the service…when I might be moving back home. She never once made me think she saw me as anything other than a friend.

Besides, she’d probably tell Sean no anyway. He used to tease her when she was younger about her weight.

Sean hit me on the arm. “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck,” I said, before watching my brother approach Harper. She was with her sister, Candice, who was the same age as me. We’d gone to school together, and like Harper, Candice was a sweet girl. Their father, Larry Browning, was the mayor of Moose Village, and had been for years. Their mother, Patty, owned the floral shop on Main Street. Harper also had two younger sisters, Amanda and Tina. Both of them were still in high school, if I remembered right.

I tried not to watch my brother and Harper, but my eyes kept drifting that way.

“If my sister even thinks about going out with your brother, I’m going to slap her upside her head.”

I hadn’t even noticed Candice approaching me.

Laughing, I replied, “Looks like he’s turning on the charm.”

Candice made a gagging sound. “How can she not remember how he teased her in elementary school about her weight?”

Wanting to change the subject, I turned away from my brother and Harper. “How’ve you been, Candice?”

She smiled. “I’ve been great. How’s the Marines treating you?”

“Good.”

“What do youdoin the Marines, anyway?”

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”

Laughing, Candice knocked me lightly on the shoulder. “Seriously, Declan. My mother said you’re kinda like a Navy SEAL, but in the Marines?”

“Your mother would be correct.”

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